Discrete Element Simulation of Fracture Evolution around a Borehole for Gas Extraction in Coal Seams

[Image: see text] The stability analysis of underground caverns, tunnels, and boreholes is of great significance to underground engineering. In order to study the stress change of the coal around a hole and the evolution law of fractures during the coal seam drilling process, the discrete element simulation of the coal seam drilling process was carried out by using the particle flow code (PFC(2D)). The results show that during the drilling process, under the influence of confining pressure and drilling disturbance, the coal stress field around the hole and the development of fractures around the hole have the characteristics of zoning and dynamic evolution. In the axial direction of the borehole, it is divided into front and rear areas, and in the vertical axial direction, it is divided into the drilling disturbance zone and the confining pressure main control zone. During the drilling process, the direction of the maximum principal stress in the front zone gradually changes from the vertical hole axis to the direction parallel to the hole axis, and tension fractures are mainly developed along the drilling direction. In the rear zone, the principal stress direction tends to be stable and the principal stress value undergoes dynamic changes, and a large number of vertical hole axis tension fractures are developed. The drilling disturbance zone appears near the hole wall and has an important influence on the stability of the hole wall, while the confining pressure main control zone determines the antireflection effect around the hole and the influence radius of the hole. This work helps the understanding of the damage range and failure characteristics of the surrounding rock during the drilling process and has great significance for the guidance of drilling design.